I'll never forget you
by MiriamTodd321
Summary: A girl gets a message from God, telling her to rise up and save her country. Little does she know that the country is closer to her than one would expect. JeanneD'ArcXFrance ((I suck at summaries, so please read if you're curious!))
1. A Burdensome Memory

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own Hetalia, or French history. Only Aloys belongs to me. This is my first Hetalia story, so don't lay the hate on too thick please!**

Jeanne P.O.V

_When I was young, there's was a boy who lived near my family's cottage. We used to play together often, and I fell in love with him. One day, he came over to my house with bruises and cuts on his body, and told me he wouldn't be able to see me anymore. He kissed me on the lips, then walked away without looking back. His name was Francis._

_Another beautiful day is ending,_ I thought as I watched the sheep graze. Standing upon a hill, I could see the villagers going about their daily tasks. I took a deep breath of fresh air, glad to be alive. "Jeanne! Jeanne!" a voice call from further down the hill. I peered down the path to see my older brother Aloys calling. Smiling, I ran down the hill to greet him, sheep in tow. "Hello brother! Is it time for the sheep to come in already?" I asked, rubbing a lamb behind the ears. "Yes, but it's also time for your lesson." he replied, grabbing my crook."Go get changed, I'll meet you behind the house." Nodding, I grabbed the hem of my skirt and jogged to our cottage. A few minutes later, I had exchanged my shift for comfortable breeches and a shirt. I padded barefoot out the door, tying my blonde hair back with a blue ribbon. When I arrived behind the house, there was no one in sight. Noticing the silence, I snuck around the house, keeping my eyes peeled for suspicious movement. _The quiet is always the worst. You can almost never tell if an attack is coming for you, or not._ I was about to walk around the wall when I heard breathing on the other side. Dropping down, I rolled to the right, dodging a fist intended for my face. Getting to my feet, I saw the attacker run for me. Moving out of the way, I kicked the figure in the back of the legs, dropping them to the ground. Climbing onto their back, I braced myself, keeping them pinned to the ground as I pulled out a knife from my waist. "Yield." I murmured, placing the blade at the attackers' neck.

The person didn't move till I removed the blade and stood, then rolled over and grinned at me. "Nice job, little sister." Aloys said, standing up. " You took control of the situation quickly." I smiled at his praise, sheathing my knife. "Now, let's have supper before it gets to late." Aloys walked into the house, and I followed him as we set the table for supper. The soup that I had put on was finished, and the kitchen was filled with the smell of lamb and potatoes. After a few minutes, we both sat at the table to eat. "Don't forget, tomorrow is church, so we need to get up early." My brother said, taking a spoonful of soup. "I remember," I said, blowing into my bowl. "But should I do something with my hair?" Aloys smiled gently, reaching over the table to brush hair out of my face. "Jeanne, you are beautiful just the way you are." I blushed slightly, but wasn't entirely convinced. "But what if he comes back? I don't think I'm pretty enough for him." my brother chuckled, standing up with his empty bowl. "Little sister, if he comes back and sees you, he'll think the same as me." I sighed as I handed him my bowl. _I still don't think I'm pretty enough for him._ Soon afterwords, I climbed into bed beside my brother, who was already fast asleep. Laying my back against his, I closed my eyes. Flashes of memory came to me as I tried to fall asleep. Screams, a cruel laugh, cloth ripping. My mind settled on that particular memory, intent on making me re-live the worst say of my life.

Two years ago, Aloys had sent me out out to pick berries near the cottage. "The strawberries there are ripe," he murmured, milking the cow. "We can have them later with supper." I nodded happily, since brother wouldn't let me go by myself very often. Grabbing a basket, I started walking for the bushes. They were near a semi-hidden path in the forest, where only a handful of people knew about them. Seeing strawberries, I started jogging for the bright patch of red. Reaching the berries, I started picking them, putting them in the basket softly so as not to bruise them. Humming a song to myself, I didn't notice quiet footsteps behind me. Suddenly, a strong hand covered my mouth, and a pair of lips came close to my ear. "What have we hear?" came a rasping voice. "A French girl huh? Perfect." I struggled to no avail as another hand reached around o grope my chest. _Someone, help me!_ Willing myself to calm down, I opened my mouth slightly before biting the attackers' hand. He cursed, slapping me hard across the face. As I tried to escape, he got on top of me, once again covering my mouth. "Do that again, and I'll gut you!" he said, glaring at me.

I returned the glare, but my courage left me as he proceeded to rip off my clothes. _Stop!_ I attempted to yell, but his hand muffled my screams. He stuck his hand down, trying to reach my crotch. _Francis, help me!_ flew through my muddled head. With a last jolt of bravado, I bit him again, this time scrambling away from him. "Damn you." the man said as he stood up. "Please stop!" I yelled at him, attempting to cover myself. He laughed cruelly, an evil grin twisting his face. "There's no one here to stop me, and no one to hear your cries." he said, walking loser to me. I dropped to the ground, curling myself up and covering my head. "ALOYS!" I screamed, closing my eyes.

I woke up gasping, tears flowing from my eyes. Aloys sat up as well, quickly pulling me into a hug. "Shhh, it's okay Jeanne." he said, as my tears soaked through his nightshirt. "No one is going to hurt you. I'll protect you." Laying back down, he pulled against his chest. "Go to sleep Jeanne. He can't hurt you ever again."

**Since she woke up before she could finish the dream, I'll explain the rest. Aloys, hearing her scream, barreled down the path. Seeing his sister and her wanna-be rapist, he stabbed the guy in the neck before he could finish the deed. After that, he started teaching her how to defend herself. The rapist was an english scout, who happened to see Jeanne, by the way. I'm honestly a fan of protective big brothers, and I sorta based Aloys off of a friend of mine. So, please review if you like it(or don't like it)!**


	2. A Visit From an Angel

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia, nor do I own French History.**

Jeanne P.O.V.

When I awoke the next morning, my brother was already getting dressed. "Good morning Jeanne." Aloys said, smiling softly. "You'd better get dressed quickly, church starts soon." Rubbing sleep from my eyes, I got up to search for a clean dress. Presently, I found one and slipped it on, letting the blue dress obscure my vision for a moment. Tying my hair up once more, I walked downstairs to see Aloys wrapping up food. Slipping around him, I snatched up an apple from a plate before I could get told off. "Are we ready to leave?" I asked him, taking a bite. He shook his head, gesturing to my neck. "You almost forgot your crucifix." Aloys said, chuckling. "You know the Bishop wants everyone to have theirs." I huffed slightly, grabbing my cross from its place in the pantry. "The Bishop always wants a reason to complain," I muttered, slipping on my shoes. "He was just complaining about how little people were arriving to service! There aren't many people still alive after the last Black Plague outbreak from last year." Aloys shrugged, picking up the food. "He's grumpy, but I'm sure he's not a bad man." He said, walking out with me behind him. "Speaking of grumpy old men, the blacksmith has asked for me to come over right after service. So, you'll have to go home by yourself." I nodded, muttering under my breath. This just means I'll have to do the chores alone, I thought, looking up at the overhead grey clouds. Looks like it's going to be one of those days...

"...And then David took the giant's sword and cut off his head with it." The Bishop was retelling the story of David, the great king. I was only half-paying attention, and mostly focused on looking at the paintings on the church ceiling. Angels and the kings and queens of old were there, looking down on us with an avid gaze. My eyes locked on the painting of Saint Michaelis, the archangel. As I looked at him, the rest of the world around me seemed to quiet to a hum. Jeanne... A voice called from behind me. I turned, but saw no one. Jeanne... From the other side this time. My name seemed to be called from all directions, and I looked all round, trying to find the caller. A hand settled on my shoulder, and I turned to face...Aloys? "Jeanne, service is over." he murmured, giving me a concerned look. I blinked, still slightly confused. "Are you okay?" I nodded, standing up as we filed out of the pews. Aloys pulled me to the side once we got outside, a slight drizzle coming down. "I'll be back later, so just feed the animals and stay inside okay?" He said, looking down at me. "Okay." I murmured quietly, shivering slightly in the cold. Aloys sighed as he slipped off his coat, dropping it on my head. "Try not to get into trouble while I'm gone." With that, he turned around and started walking towards the blacksmiths. I waved softly after him, murmuring a 'goodbye'. Come back soon...

On my way home, I wondered about those strange voices that I heard in the church. I thought about it as I changed into my shift. "Why were they calling me?" I repeated to myself as I went about my chores. Hearing no answers save the squawks of chickens, I decided to take a walk through up the hill. Ignoring the storm overhead, I refused the cover of a coat, and donned a cloak, leaving my head exposed to the elements. As I reached the top of the grassy incline, I noticed a man sitting on the shepherd's rock. Even though it was windy and still raining, the man wasn't covered at all, but still appeared to be dry. He looked up at me, smiling softly as I approached. "Hello Jeanne." he said, walking closer. I bowed slightly; even though I had no idea who this man was, he seemed familiar somehow. "Who are you sir?" The man unsheathed a sword(where did that come from?) and held it in front of him, an ethereal glow covering him and the weapon. "I am Michaelis, the archangel." He said in a powerful voice. "God wants you to drive the English from your country. Jeanne D'Arc, you must lead this country into battle!" Lead France into battle? I thought, blinking rapidly at this new development. _But I'm just a girl, and the English are extremely powerful! But...if God has asked me to, then who am I to say no? _I knelt down, my knees hitting the wet grass. " If this is God's will," I said, looking up at the angel. "Then I will do as He commands." Michaelis sheathed his sword and reached out his hand, resting it on my forehead. "Go with God." A bright light shone down, and I shielded my eyes briefly. When I opened them, he was gone, but the sword lay at my feet. Picking up the sword, I stood up and started back towards my home, now noticing that the storm had picked up.

As I approached, I saw my brother at the door with a lantern, calling my name out into the gale. "I'm here Aloys!" I shouted, running over to him. He set the lantern down as I walked inside, immediately starting to reprimand me as I sat down. "Jeanne, what were you doing?" he practically yelled as he tried to dry me off. "You're soaking wet, the knees of your dress are muddy and-" He stopped talking as his eyes fell on the sword. "How did you get that?" I bit my lip, unsure if my brother would believe my tale. "S-saint Michaelis g-gave it to me." I stuttered out, looking up at him. His blue eyes were as wide as saucers as he stared at me. "Michaelis did? Did anything else happen?" I nodded, watching my brother as he sat down. "He told me God wanted me to lead France against the English." Aloys stood up so fast he knocked his chair over. "You can't lead an army! You're only 16!" He yelled, running his hands through his hair. "Papa already died in this war, why would you want to fight too?" I know that, I wanted to say. Even though I'm 2 years younger than him, I wasn't some clueless little kid. If the archangel said I was going to do it, then he has to let me go! "Aloys!" I said loudly, interrupting my brothers' rant. "I'm going to the king tomorrow, to tell him what Michaelis told me." He stared at me in shock, but then his face hardened. "No way! As your brother I do not allow this! You aren't going, message or no." I got up from my seat, glaring across the table at him. "You can't tell me what to do. I'm going whether you like it or not." I ran past him upstairs, to our room, and dropped on top of the quilt. Tears unwillingly sprung to my eyes, I rubbed them away with the heel of my palm. _Why are you making this so hard?_

That night, we slept on opposite ends of the room. When I finally fell asleep, I was once again plagued by nightmares. When I woke up in a cold sweat early in the morning, I shamefacedly snuck over to my brothers' side. Curling myself up, I laid down, my back against his. He rolled over, instinctively wrapping his arms around me. Closing my eyes, I slowly slipped into a peaceful sleep.

**I have officially screwed up French history, accidentally, but now I don't feel like fixing it. Jeanne's parents were both alive, and as far as I can tell, she has no brother. This is merely my retelling of the story, and a flawed one at that. This is not, and I repeat NOT, an accurate story. If you are French and/or insulted by my butchery of the story, please tell me and I will rewrite it to the best of my ability.**


	3. Lady of Orleans

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia, or French history**

Jeanne P.O.V.

Sunlight streamed through the window, warming my face as I slowly woke up. Yawning, I absentmindedly reached over to nudge my brother. Gone. I stood up slowly, changing my from my nightgown into a shirt and breeches. Trudging downstairs, I expected to see Aloys eating breakfast. He wasn't there, strangely. I jogged to the door, flinging it wide open. I could see a figure on the hill, hunched over. _Blonde hair...Aloys._ Not bothering to slip in my shoes, I ran outside. It took me a few minutes to get to the hill, and I was panting as I ran up the hill. Reaching the top, I stopped. Aloys was kneeling there, his back to me. He was silent, even as I got closer to him. "Aloys..." I reached out, placing my hand on his shoulder as I sat down. We sat together in silence, as birds flew overhead chirping the morning's greeting. My brother sighed, before standing up and turning to me. His normally warm brown eyes were clouded over, and he gave me a tired glance. "Jeanne, I will let you go if you do one thing." he said quietly. "Anything!" I replied quickly, standing up. "Duel me, with the broadsword. If you win, you're free to go." he said.  
Frowning, I stepped back slightly._ Duel him? But I've only sparred with him from time to time! My sword skills were far from perfect, unlike his._ "I...okay." Aloys nodded, before turning and walking back down the path. I followed him, sighing. He's always like this...just deciding things on his own. Reaching the house, he put out his hand to stop me. "Stay here." he said, walking inside. Then he disappeared inside. I sat down to wait. Knowing him, he could be inside for a long time. When I heard a clanking noise, I quickly got to my feet. Aloys was in the doorway, a suit of armor in his arms. He dropped it on the ground, before going back inside. Emerging seconds later with another suit and two suits, he dropped them on the ground too. "Put on the smaller one." my brother said briskly, starting to put one on. I tried following his example, but managing to get stuck. Aloys stopped to watch me. "You're doing it wrong." he muttered, helping me out of it. "Like this." Picking up one legging, he showed me how to put in on. Then the next one. By the time he said I had it down, I was tired. "And why are we doing this?" I asked, breathing out in exasperation. "Lesson number one. If you're going to lead an army, you have to wear and fight in armor." he said with a shrug. "Now, let's start."

Clang! Sword meets sword, as I blocked an overhead strike. Recoiling his sword, Aloys struck again, catching me in the side. Uninjured, I swung for his legs. Seeing it coming, he blocked it, kicking me in the chest. Falling to the ground, the air was forced from my lungs. A gleaming sword raced for my head, and I rolled away, hearing it hit the ground where I used to lay. He's not playing around! I thought, quickly getting to my feet. "You can't beat me if you keep play fighting." came a voice behind me. Whirling around, our swords met again. Locking eyes with Aloys, I noticed off about him. His eyes...they looked completely predatory. Like he wasn't even my brother. "What's wrong with you Aloys?" I asked, as we pulled back. He grinned, as he start swinging, harder and faster. "I'm not Aloys." he said, catching me across the cheek. I stepped back, pressing my hand to my cheek. "I'm that English soldier who almost had you in the palm of my hand. And I'll have you again." I pulled my hand away, staring at the blood on my palm._ Blood. My blood._ Red filled my vision as my mind grew hazy. I looked up as his sword raced at me, the soldier eyes full of anger. Raising my sword arm, I blocked it easily. "So, you're back eh?" I murmured, swinging at him. _That soldier returned, hmm? He's no match for me._ "Here I thought you'd ran off. No problem, I'll finish you."

Alois grinned, blocking my sword. "That's more like it!" He attacked harder, but I attacked faster. He started to slow down, his attacks were easily blocked as I advanced on him. A small miss here, too slow there, my attacks were starting to show as shallow cuts appeared on his face. "What's wrong?" I asked, watching as he barely blocked a swing at his neck. "Can't keep up?" Swinging, I hit his hand with the flat of the blade, making him drop his sword. Cursing, he started rubbing his hand. "Gotcha!" My sword raced for his neck again, the death blow. Eyes wide, he stepped back, allowing me to go past him. "What the-?" Before I could turn around, I felt arms wrap themselves around me. "Jeanne, that's enough." I gasped, dropping my sword as my head cleared. Turning, I saw Aloys holding me, cuts on his face bleeding. "Was that...my fault?" My brother didn't answer, but led me inside quietly. Helping me out of the armor, he started his normal morning routine of fixing breakfast. I stood where he had left me, staring at the floor on confusion. What happened? Why is Alois bleeding? Who won? Alois moved back to my side, guiding me to a chair. Passing me a cup of tea, he sat down across from me. "You won. You're leaving this afternoon." my brother said calmly, sipping his tea. I stared at him, still confused. "But...how did I...what about...what happened to me?" I asked, resting my cheek in my palm. Feeling wetness there, I pulled my hand away to look, but Aloys covered my hand. "Jeanne, you have to take this seriously." he murmured, pulling his hand away. "In a war, you must fight seriously. If you don't, you'll be killed." I frowned, taking a sip of my tea. "I know, but I can't fight seriously against my brother." He chuckled, standing up. "I know. But no one in England is your brother, remember that. Not even if they look like me." I nodded, not looking up. A hand rested on my head, ruffling my hair. "Come on, we have to pack."

"...And tell them exactly what I told you. Remember why?" My brother said, still holding the reins. I took a deep breath, pushing hair out of my face. "Cause if I say something wrong, they'll think I'm a heretic or witch and kill me." He nodded, passing me another knife. I slipped into my bag, before tying it to the horse. "So what are you going to day?" Aloys said, starting to walk. The stallion started walking as I followed, trying to recall everything. "I'm Jeanne of Orleans, and I have a message for the king. My message is this: Saint Michealis told me that I am to be the deliverer of France. I have been told to take command of the army, and lead us to victory." He nodded, leading me to the path. Sighing, my brother looked away from me. "What a hopeless brother I am. Can't even keep my previous sister safe from harm." I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his back. "You're making this too hard Aloys." I mumbled, pulling away. He chuckled, bending down to kiss me on both cheeks. "Stay safe, and don't do nothing to risky." I climbed into the horse, grinning own at him. "Try to get a wife while I'm gone!" Aloys laughed, shaking his head. "Get outta here, before I change my mind." I nodded, starting the horse out on a trot. I didn't turn around, so I wouldn't see his tears, and he wouldn't see mine. A soothing song reached my ears, causing me to slow down.  
_Blue is her eyes, and gold is her hair. My lovely lady of Orleans._  
I smiled, recognizing my brother's voice. Raising my voice, I started to sing as well.

_Sweet is her smile, and gentle her laugh. My lovely lady of Orleans._

_My lady won't leave me, she's loyal as the seasons. My lovely lady of Orleans_

_But if she was to leave, to leave me all alone. My lovely lady of Orleans_

_Would I be sad, or would I be angry? My lovely lady of Orleans_

_How could I be angry, with maiden fair? My lovely lady of Orleans_

_I know she'll return, return to my arms. My lovely lady of Orleans_

_Because I love her, with all of my heart. My lovely lady of Orleans_

_Blue is her eyes, and gold is her hair. My lovely lady of Orleans._

_Sweet is her smile, and gentle her laugh. My lovely lady of Orleans._

I continued singing, long after my brothers' voice faded out. Tears still rolled down my cheeks, as I sang. Reaching up to wipe my tears, I chuckled. "Stay strong." I murmured to myself. "A soldier's going to take one look at me and laugh. You're okay Jeanne. You're doing fine." Nudging the horse, he sped up, cantering the path.  
_Look out England. Jeanne of Orleans is going to save her country._

**Hello few readers of mine! I apologize for not updating this story regularly. It isn't one of my more popular ones, so I put it on the back burner. From now on however, I'll be trying to update this every Wednesday. Sorry for taking so long!**


	4. The Country of Love

**Francis P.O.V.**

Francis...Francis...That same girl from my dreams was calling to me, a memory from sometime in my past. Her back was to me, and all I could see was her long, golden hair. As I reached out to her, I came crashing back down to reality. And by reality, I meant the floor. Sitting up, I sighed, blinking as sunlight streamed through the window. "What are you doing moron? Girls never caused this much trouble for you." I muttered to myself as I got up. Great, another headache. I bet it was because of that Englishman again. Dressing myself as quickly as possible, I strapped my sword to my side and walked outside. As I peered over the balcony, I saw several groups of people talking excitedly. Walking down the grand staircase, a couple of whispering maids caught my eye.  
"Bonjour, mon cheri." I said, winking at them. "Pehaps you could tell me what's going on." One of the maids nodded, blushing.  
"Of course Monsieur Frances. There's a girl talking to the king! She claims to have been called by God to lead the army!" she said excitedly, smiling. My eyebrows flew up in surprise, as I listened. The army led by a girl? Surely this was all just a big mistake. I ran down the stairs, muttering curses with each step. Reaching the door to the courtyard, I was temporarily stopped by the guards.  
"Monsieur Frances, you're supposed to be resting." one murmured, frowning.  
"I'll rest later. Let me in now, s'il vou plait!" The two men stepped out of the way, opening the door. I strode in, looking around for the girl. Passing by a long-haired blonde with a smile, I reached the throne, bowing to my king.  
"Rise Francis, that isn't necessary." the man said, waving me up.  
"Sir, I heard an interesting rumor." I said, frowning slightly."A girl wants to lead my army?" The king nodded, gesturing to the girl he had passed.  
"This is Jeanne D'Orleans. She claims divine guidance to lead France into battle." I whipped my head around to look at the blonde, who nodded as the king spoke.  
"You!? You want to lead the army? My army? But...you're just a girl!" The blonde blinked in surprise, before glaring at me.  
"Excuse me Monsieur Francis, but I've been called by God to lead France against the English. And I'm confident I'll be able to lead them well." She said, placing her hands on thin hips. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.  
"Listen belle, I don't believe you're qualified to lead these men. MY men. Your hands will lose their soft and gentle touch." A few of the courtiers chuckled, making Jeanne flush scarlet. She raised her hands, palm up to my eye sight. Calluses and old scars criss-crossed her palms, causing me to blink in surprise.  
"My hands lost that a long time ago, sorry to disappoint you. If you want, I'll be more than happy to fight you."I started to protest, but the king started clapped, laughing loudly.  
"That's a great idea! While the church goes over this, you two will duel!" He said, chuckling."What better way to see what she's made of? Tomorrow, at noon meal. Show her to her room Francis." The men nodded, excited to see a fight. I bowed, before grabbing her hand and dragging her protesting out of the courtyard.

_As if I don't have enough to deal with. Now I have to deal with this too?_ All this extra trouble was making my headache return. And now she's yelling something...I stopped, causing her to slam into my back as I turned around.  
"Listen fille, I have better things to do than fight you." I said simply, ignoring her glare. Closing my eyes, I massaged my temples. "I don't duel ladies." When I opened my eyes, I saw that she was already walking up the stairs.  
"Hey, where are you going?" I shouted, chasing after her. She smirked, continuing to traipse upstairs.  
"Wait up!" I finally caught up with her as she stopped at the top.  
"Wait you say? Jeanne D'Orleans waits for no one." She said matter-of-factly, turning to walk away again, but I caught her by her long hair.  
"You, chere, are quite annoying." I muttered, yanking her hair none to gently and earning a yelp of pain from her.  
"Let me go! How dare you pull my hair like that, I ought to have my brother set his hands on you!" She glared at me as I released her hair.  
"Your brother should be in the army right now." I replied, walking away from her. After a moment I heard her fall in step behind me.  
"I really can't wait to fight you tomorrow." I heard a voice mutter darkly. Stopping in front of her room, I opened the door and shoved her in. She tripped over the rug, falling forward onto the bed ungracefully.  
"I'll look forward to fighting you tomorrow as well. Au Revoir." With that, I slammed the door before retreating to my own room. Flopping down on my bed I covered my face with a pillow. _That girl has given me nothing but a headache...__  
_

(A/N) Edit: Happy almost birthday to me! I'm am officially back, and will now commence updating and writing new chapters. I apologize for being gone...life caught up with me and smacked me upside the head. Meanie.


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